The Hockey Roommate's Filthy Desire novel Chapter 163

Chapter 163

ARIA’S POV

The crowd outside the hotel was a complete nightmare Flash after flash hit my face and the four questions from the reporters made my head spin. Thankfully, Brandon didn’t just stand there

He wrapped his big arms around me, blocking me from the lenses, and used his body to push through the wall of people

His security team moved in fast, creating a path through the screaming crowd until we finally reached his car

The ride to my house was mostly quiet. I was still shaking from the panic, and Brandon kept one hand while using the other to hold my hand tight

When the car finally pulled up to my driveway, the engine turned off, but neither of us moved right away Brandon turned in his seat, looking at me with a heavy, worried expression.

He clearly didn’t want me to go inside alone. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay?” he asked softly, his fingers brushing against my cheek.

“Come back to the hotel with me. You shouldn’t be by yourself after that mess.”

I gave him a weak smile, shaking my head. “I want to, Brandon, really. But I have to go to work today. I have to face this sooner or later.”

He sighed, looking unhappy about it, but he respected my choice. “Fine. But call me the second you get there. If bothers you, I’ll be there in five minutes.”

“I will. Thank you.” I murmured.

After he finally drove away, I ran upstairs, took a quick shower to wash off the morning stress, and got dressed in a sharp

business suit.

I did my makeup carefully to hide the dark circles under my eyes, grabbed my bag, and drove straight to the office

The moment I walked through the front glass doors of the building, the air felt thick and uncomfortable. I could feet single eye on me.

The employees were standing in small groups near the water cooler and the desks, leaning in close and whispering to eac other. A few of them quickly looked down at their phones when I walked past

f

I knew exactly what they were doing. The video of the kiss from this morning was already waking headlines everywhere online

I felt incredibly embarrassed, but I refused to show it. I kept my chin up, fixed my eyes straight ahead, and walked directly the private elevator. I wasn’t going to let them see me sweat on my very first day.

I reached the top floor unlocked the door to the main office, and sat down at the heavy desk. I had barely turned on computer system when the door clicked open without a knock Hooked up, my eyes narrowing

It was Fred. And right behind bum was his former secretary

I expected them to be angry or proud, but to my surprise, they looked small and scared The their heads down, looking like two dogs that had just been caught chowing up the furniture

walke er to the desk with

They had come to beg for their jobs. Miss Arut please, just hear us out fred started, hus voue shaking a butle bit. “We made

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Chapter 163

Pruistake, a huge mistake. But we care about this company. We want to make things right.”

The former secretary nodded quickly beside him. “Please, Miss Aria. Don’t ruin us.”

0:30

I leaned back in my chair, staring at them with a cold, blank face. “You two should be thanking me,” I said, my voice flat and

calm.

“I am already doing you a great favor by not selling your dirty story to the public. If the newspapers found out what you two were doing in this building, your lives would be completely over.”

Fred took a step closer, his hands out. “We know, we know. Just don’t fire us. We can help you run this place.”

“I am going to say this nicely once,” I interrupted, pointing a finger at the open door, “Leave this office right now and do not return. If I see your faces in this building again, I am going to get very furious. And trust me, you do not want to see me

furious.

Fred’s face changed. The begging look faded, and a small, nasty smirk touched his lips. He leaned over the desk, trying to look big.

“You’re making a mistake, Miss Aria. You don’t know the first thing about running a business like this. You’re going to need my help. You need someone to put you through the work and show you how things operate around here, or you’ll crash this place in a week.”

My chest tightened, because deep down, I knew he was right. I was terrified. But my pride wouldn’t let him see that. I looked him dead in the eye and gave him a cold smile.

“I can do it completely on my own,” I said boldly. It was a total lie, told purely to keep my ego safe, but I said it with so much confidence that his smirk vanished.

“Miss Aria, be realistic-” Fred started.

“Leave,” I said, cutting him off before he could say another word. “Leave right now, or I am calling security to drag you both out of here in front of everyone. And here is some advice, Fred. You better start praying that I don’t find any other lapses while I look through the company files. If I find out you embezzled even a single dollar of our funds, I will call the police and make you pay for every single cent.”

That did it. The former secretary grabbed his arm, looking terrified, and pulled him out of the room. They hurried down the hall, and the door slammed shut behind them.

Once they were gone, the anger drained out of me, leaving me feeling tired. I stood up and looked around the large office. Suddenly, a wave of disgust washed over me.

I‘

I looked at the leather couch, the desk, and the carpet, and all I could think about was how Fred and his secretary had been fucking in here behind my back. It felt dirty. The air smelled like their cheap perfume and lies.

If I was going to fit in here, if I was going to make this place mine, I needed to change some things immediately. I couldn’t work in an office that felt so soiled.

I picked up the desk phone and called the office manager. “Can you come up to my office for a minute?” I asked.

A few minutes later, a young man in a tight suit walked in. He was the manager, and he had a very confident, annoying smile

on his face.

“Yes, Miss Aria,” he said, walking over to the desk. “How can I help you on your first day?”

“I want this entire office changed,” I told him, gesturing around the room. “I want a new desk, a new couch, and new paint on the walls. Get rid of everything in here.”

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